Post Award Management Specialist - Office of Sponsored Programs

Carnegie Mellon University • Pittsburgh, PA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is seeking a Post-Award Management Specialist to join the team. OVPR has responsibility for nurturing interdisciplinary research initiatives at one of the nation's leading research institutions. OVPR provides overall research administration and policy for all colleges and schools, as well as the university's more than 100 centers and institutes. Working closely with deans, department heads, faculty, students and staff, the office provides an innovative and supportive research environment that spans all disciplines and campuses and assures that research activities are planned and conducted in accordance with regulations and University policy. The position is responsible for the timely and accurate establishment and modification of sponsored project accounts following award execution or award modification. This position is responsible for award intake, validation, and account establishment, ensuring readiness for financial activation and downstream post-award management. The Senior Specialist, Award Management Support independently manages complex sponsored research portfolios and serves as a trusted advisor to Principal Investigators (PIs), departmental finance partners, and central offices. This role ensures that sponsored awards are accurately represented, monitored, and maintained in the university’s electronic systems (SPARCS, Oracle, HRS), and that post-award activity aligns with sponsor terms, institutional policy, and the overall financial integrity of the research portfolio.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Five years of work experience
• Experience in university sponsored projects administration, post/pre award management or research administration or some combination.
• Familiarity with federal sponsor regulations including Uniform Guidance and agency-specific requirements.
• Experience with systems such as Huron Research Suite, Cayuse, InfoEd, Kuali Research, Oracle, Workday, PeopleSoft, Banner, SAP, or similar platforms.
• Knowledge of sponsored project lifecycle management and post-award administration.
• A combination of education and meaningful experience from which comparable knowledge is proven may be considered.
• Successful background check

Responsibilities

• Review executed award agreements, notices of award, amendments, subawards, and related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
• Reconcile sponsor-approved budgets to awarded funding and institutional proposal records, ensuring alignment with allowable cost structures and system requirements.
• Ensure revised budgets and other data elements are appropriately documented and accurately established in University systems.
• Coordinate creation of project and task structures, or related project segments as required.
• Validate that required compliance determinations and approvals are in place and aligned with award terms for requirements.
• Verify adherence to institutional policies, sponsor regulations, and federal requirements.
• Establish and validate award data in the eRA system to ensure accurate and complete integration with the institutional financial system.
• Confirm all required financial, structural and compliance elements are in place prior to account activation, minimizing downstream corrections.
• Resolve data discrepancies at the point of setup to ensure system alignment and operational readiness.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for departments, principal investigators, and research administrators regarding award setup status and requirements.
• Communicate missing documentation, required corrections, or outstanding compliance items.
• Provide guidance regarding account establishment procedures, timelines, and institutional requirements.
• Maintain accurate and complete award records and supporting documentation.
• Monitor workflow queues and account setup metrics to support timely processing.
• Generate reports related to award setup activities, pending actions, and operational performance.
• Participate in quality assurance and continuous process improvement initiatives.
• Assist in development and refinement of standard operating procedures and workflow documentation.
• Participate in testing and implementation of eRA system enhancements or upgrades.
• Recommend process improvements to increase efficiency, data quality, and compliance.

Benefits

• comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance
• generous retirement savings program with employer contributions
• tuition benefits
• ample paid time off
• observed holidays
• life and accidental death and disability insurance
• free Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass
• access to our Family Concierge Team to help navigate childcare needs
• fitness center access

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior